Nitroxide-substituted nitronyl nitroxide and iminonitroxide

We report on the highly compact nitroxide-substituted nitronyl nitroxide 1 and iminonitroxide 2; they have isoelectronic structures with trimethylenemethane. These diradicals are stable under aerated conditions at room temperature and have large positive exchange interactions: J/k(B) = +390 K (H = -2JS(1)(/)(2)·S(1/2)) for 1 and J/k(B) ≈ +550 K for 2.     

Ferric superoxide and ferric hydroxide are used in the catalytic mechanism of hydroxyethylphosphonate dioxygenase: a density functional theory investigation

Hydroxyethylphosphonate dioxygenase (HEPD) is a mononuclear nonheme iron enzyme that utilizes an O(2) molecule to cleave a C-C bond in 2-hydroxyethylphosphonate and produce hydroxymethylphosphonate (HMP) and formic acid. Density functional theory calculations were performed on an enzyme active-site model of HEPD to understand its catalytic mechanism. The reaction starts with H-abstraction from the C2 position of 2-HEP by a ferric superoxide-type (Fe(III)-OO(?-)) intermediate, in a similar manner to the H-abstraction in the reaction of the dinuclear iron enzyme myo-inositol oxygenase. The resultant Fe(II)-OOH intermediate may follow either a hydroperoxylation or hydroxylation pathway, the former process being energetically more favorable. In the hydroperoxylation pathway, a ferrous-alkylhydroperoxo intermediate is formed, and then its O-O bond is homolytically cleaved to yield a complex of ferric hydroxide with a gem-diol radical. Subsequent C-C bond cleavage within the gem-diol leads to formation of an R-CH(2)(?) species and one of the two products (i.e., formic acid). The R-CH(2)(?) then intramolecularly forms a C-O bond with the ferric hydroxide to provide the other product, HMP. The overall reaction pathway does not require the use of a high-valent ferryl intermediate but does require ferric superoxide and ferric hydroxide intermediates.     

Critical Factors in the Seed‐Assisted Synthesis of Zeolite Beta and “Green Beta” from OSDA‐Free Na+–Aluminosilicate Gels

Organic structure‐directing agent (OSDA)‐free synthesis of zeolite beta is a subject of both scientific and industrial interest. Herein, we report a comprehensive investigation into the effects of various parameters on the seed‐assisted crystallization of zeolite beta in the absence of OSDA. The crystallization behavior of “OSDA‐free beta” is strongly governed by the chemical composition of the starting Na⁺‐aluminosilicate gel as well as by the Si/Al ratios of the calcined beta seed crystals, which are prepared using tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH). Furthermore, OSDA‐free beta seed crystals can be used to form zeolite beta, termed “green beta”. XRD, scanning electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, and ²⁷Al magic angle spinning NMR analyses showed that the OSDA‐free beta and green beta were of high purity and crystallinity. The nitrogen adsorption–desorption of OSDA‐free beta and green beta revealed higher surface areas and larger volumes in the micropore region than those of the beta seeds synthesized with OSDA after calcination. These results provide a robust and reliable process for the environmentally friendly production of high‐quality zeolite beta in a completely OSDA‐free Na⁺‐aluminosilicate system.     

Construction of optically active multimetallic systems of rhodium(I), palladium(II), and ruthenium(II) with a P-chiral tetraphosphine ligand

The treatment of optically P-chiral tetraphosphine, (3S,6R,9R,12S)-6,9-di-tert-butyl-2,2,3,12,13,13-hexamethyl-3,6,9,12-tetraphosphatetradecane (1), with rhodium(I), palladium(II), and ruthenium(II) complex precursors led to the selective formation of mono-, di-, or trinuclear homo- or heterometallic complexes, [Rh(1)]SbF₆ (4), [{Rh(nbd)}₂(1)](SbF₆)₂ (3), [{Pd(η³-allyl)}₂(1)](SbF₆)₂ (5), [{RuCl(η⁵-C₅(CH₃)₅)}₂(1)] (6), and [{RuCl₂(η⁶-benzene)}₂(PdCl₂)(1)] (8). These complexes were characterized by NMR and X-ray crystallographic analysis.     

Oxygen nonstoichiometry and chemical stability of Nd2−xSrxNiO4+δ

Nonstoichiometric variation of oxygen content in Nd_2−xSr_xNiO_4+δ (x=0, 0.2, 0.4) and decomposition P(O₂) were determined by means of high temperature gravimetry and coulometric titration. The measurements were carried out in the temperature range from 873 to 1173 K and the P(O₂) range from 10⁻²⁰ to 1 bar. Nd_2−xSr_xNiO_4+δ shows the oxygen excess and the oxygen deficient composition depending on P(O₂), temperature, and the Sr content. To evaluate the characteristics of oxygen nonstoichiometric behavior, partial molar enthalpy of oxygen was calculated. The value of partial molar enthalpy of oxygen slightly approaches zero as δ increases in the oxygen excess region while that is independent of δ in the oxygen deficient region. Discussion was made by comparing data of this study with nonstoichiometric and thermodynamic data of La_2−xSr_xNiO_4+δ: Nd_2−xSr_xNiO_4+δ show more oxygen excess than La_2−xSr_xNiO_4+δ in the higher P(O₂) region, while the nonstoichiometric behavior in the oxygen deficient composition is almost the same. The variation of partial molar enthalpy of oxygen with δ for Nd_2−xSr_xNiO_4+δ in the oxygen excess region is much smaller than that of La_2−xSr_xNiO_4+δ. The oxygen nonstoichiometric behavior of Nd_2−xSr_xNiO_4+δ is more ideal-solution-like than that of La_2−xSr_xNiO_4+δ.     

The Catalytic Mechanism of Fluoroacetate Dehalogenase: A Computational Exploration of Biological Dehalogenation

The biological dehalogenation of fluoroacetate carried out by fluoroacetate dehalogenase is discussed by using quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) calculations for a whole‐enzyme model of 10 800 atoms. Substrate fluoroacetate is anchored by a hydrogen‐bonding network with water molecules and the surrounding amino acid residues of Arg105, Arg108, His149, Trp150, and Tyr212 in the active site in a similar way to haloalkane dehalogenase. Asp104 is likely to act as a nucleophile to attack the α‐carbon of fluoroacetate, resulting in the formation of an ester intermediate, which is subsequently hydrolyzed by the nucleophilic attack of a water molecule to the carbonyl carbon atom. The cleavage of the strong C? F bond is greatly facilitated by the hydrogen‐bonding interactions between the leaving fluorine atom and the three amino acid residues of His149, Trp150, and Tyr212. The hydrolysis of the ester intermediate is initiated by a proton transfer from the water molecule to His271 and by the simultaneous nucleophilic attack of the water molecule. The transition state and produced tetrahedral intermediate are stabilized by Asp128 and the oxyanion hole composed of Phe34 and Arg105.     

A Designer Axially Chiral Amino Sulfonamide as an Efficient Organocatalyst for Direct Asymmetric anti‐Selective Mannich Reactions and syn‐Selective Cross‐Aldol Reactions

Amino sulfonamide catalyst : A distal proton of the axially chiral amino sulfonamide (S)‐ 1 realized the opposite diastereoselectivity in Mannich and cross‐aldol reactions compared with that observed in proline‐catalyzed reactions. The reactions catalyzed by (S)‐ 1 proceeded smoothly to give the anti‐Mannich and syn‐aldol adducts in excellent enantioselectivity (see scheme).